The invention relates generally to kitchen applications and more specifically to a kitchen appliance which is adapted to be mounted pivotally to a kitchen cabinet.
Most portable kitchen appliances, such as automatic motorized can openers, require a fairly heavy and enlarged base to provide stability and safety for the user. Unfortunately, even the smallest of these electric appliances tends to be inconvenient because they occupy counter space in the kitchen. To save limited counter space and to alleviate some of the inconvenience involved in storing and retrieving various appliances, manufacturers have attempted to mount such appliances on walls or to cabinets. Various appliances such as coffee makers, can openers, toaster ovens and knife sharpeners have been modified for such mounting. Various prior art patents show some of these configurations.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,092 discloses a pivotably mounted can opener which utilizes a U-shaped bracket. The can opener can be positioned to show a decorative face or an operating face. The disclosed can opener uses cantilevered detents to lock the can opener in various positions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,849 also discloses a pivotally mounted can opener. This patent discloses a box-shaped housing pivotably secured to a mounting means for mounting to the underside of a kitchen cabinet. The housing is pivotable along a plane running parallel to the underside of the cabinet. Another patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,476, which discloses a multi-purpose kitchen appliance which is, mountable to a removable, rigid bracket. The bracket can mount various interchangeable appliances.
The various shortcomings of these previous units also include a lack of compactness and hideability, a displeasing appearance, and overly complex mounting hardware.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved kitchen appliance which can be mounted to the underside of a cabinet in a relatively simple manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cabinetmounted kitchen appliance which pivots to effectively conceal or enclose a portion of the appliance.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mountable kitchen appliance which exhibits improved stability in both the raised and lowered positions.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.